Red, green and yellow peppers — they each serve a savoury purpose, but are you getting the most flavour and nutrients out of your pepper?
Sweet peppers in general are a really good source of vitamin A. This is the vitamin which is essential to eye health.
And red sweet peppers contain nearly a day's worth of vitamin A in one cup so it would be a waste if you're preparing it incorrectly and not getting the maximum health benefits and flavour out of your red pepper.
BAD - Antipasti from a jar
PICTURE: PIXABAY
The bottling process reduces the vitamin C you get from red pepper and can also add salt — in some cases, more than a quarter of the recommended daily limit in a 100 g serving.
But it’s still a good source of beta-carotene, important for a healthy immune system. Even better if you have a raw red pepper.
A fresh crunchy red pepper is one of the best sources of vitamin C — in an average red pepper there is 200 mg, around three times your recommended daily amount of this nutrient which is needed for healthy gums, teeth and bones as well as boosting the immune system.
BEST - Roasted or stir-fried
PICTURE: PIXABAY
Stir-frying won’t affect vitamin C content much and it hugely increases the amount of beta-carotene you absorb by breaking down the pepper’s tough cell walls, allowing the nutrient to be released.
The fat from the oil further boosts absorption of beta-carotene and vitamin E.